Blog Posts by Marie Claire

Marie Claire

Looking good pays off. That's the overwhelming conclusion of research conducted by noted economist Daniel S. Hamermesh, a professor at the University of Texas, Austin, whose book Beauty Pays found that attractive people earn on average as much as 4 percent more annually than their unattractive colleagues. So consider your appearance one of your most important assets-and invest in it. We've picked the best worth-every-penny products and procedures designed to keep you on track.

1: TOTALLY WORTH IT: A TRANSFORMATIONAL HAIRCUT
What you're aiming for is a style that's polished, sophisticated, and, most important, easy to replicate. Think of it this way: All the time you spend taming your locks each morning could be spent courting new business. Famed hairstylist Ted Gibson, who works with Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain, charges $1,200 for a cut (you read that right), yet his eponymous salons in New York City and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, are consistently booked with new

Marie ClaireA while back, over kebabs and a hummus platter at a fantastic Mediterranean spot near my office, I was getting acquainted with a recently hired colleague who had all the makings of a new work bestie: She was incredibly well-read and steeped in pop culture, with an enthralling, almost encyclopedic, recollection of every '90s-era TV show that ever aired.

It's so rare that you meet someone utterly in sync with your sensibility and humor that I remember thinking, Wow, this could be one of those relationships-important and lasting. As we were finishing up, she asked what seemed at the time to be a benign question: "So, can we wear jeans to work on Fridays?" I'm that woman with a single pair of Gap boot-cuts that have become my weekend second skin-they're faded and on the verge of ripping at the knees, so I don't dare wear them to work. But ours is a relaxed enough office that jeans are perfectly acceptable. "Sure, yeah, of course," I told her.

Famous last words. That Friday, my

Whether you're downloading them or buying them at Barnes and Noble, these page-turners are worth tossing in your tote.

Get your best bikini bod for summer with these fun fitness tips.

Summer is right around the corner, and with the looming beach season to think about, what better time to find an awesome new workout? Our Health and Beauty Editor Jennifer Goldstein kicked off the season by checking out the new 2Fly class at Crunch gym in New York City. After reading her new feature, "Everybody Dance Now," where she gets a blast from the 90's past in this hip-hop inspired dance class, we couldn't help but want to dance ourselves into shape, too. We've rounded up some of the best dance classes in America, so whether you're into Bollywood, billboard hits or just plain boogie-ing, there's bound to be something to catch your eye and get that body rockin'.

Philadelphia, PA: "Burn It Up" at 12th Street Gym. This group fitness class created by choreographer Stepp Stewart features moves like the "Axl Rose."

Chicago, IL: "Werq" at Cheetah Gyms. Chicago choreographers and trainers Haley Stone and Julie Steffen created this class where you rock out to Top 40.

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Here are 5 ways to make your beauty regimen eco-friendly.

Every year Earth Day rolls around, that inevitable question - what can I do better? - rolls around with it. Sometimes the answers are simple: throw water bottles away in the recycling bin; reuse takeout tupperware; don't cave to the litter monster. But what about being eco-friendly in our day-to-day beauty routines?

Product labels are far from the mind when rushing to get dolled up in the morning, and "going green" is easily disregarded when choosing conditioners and concealers that do their job for your long days. But turning your beauty routine green doesn't have to be an impossible task! Celebrate Earth Day with these five tips and tricks.

The Best Flat Belly Foods To Beat The Bloat!

1. From a stick to a tar: We all love a good lipstick, but sometimes the brands we use can be filled with loads of unfriendly chemicals for our skin and the planet. Try switching from a lipstick to a natural lip tar, like Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. The OCC tars are 100-percent

"Hair accessories have gotten a bad rap from people who don't know how to wear them," says Eva Scrivo of New York City's Eva Scrivo Salon. As the mercury rises and chic hair baubles heat up the runways - from outsize bows at Marc by Marc Jacobs to understated crimson barrettes at 3.1 Phillip Lim - learn to don headbands, pins, and clips without looking like a Gossip Girl reject.

Marie ClaireWhether you're moving in with a man for the first time or bringing home someone special on a first date, you'll want to make your place just a little more boy-proof... which may involve shoving some potentially embarrassing items into the depths of your closet.

1. Cellulite cream.

2. Sprinkles, the teddy bear you've had since first grade.

3. Your autographed copies of He's Just Not That Into You, Women Who Love Too Much, and The Five People You Meet in Heaven .

4. That New Kids on the Block poster - from the reunion tour.

20 Secrets Men NEVER Tell Women

5. The Wicca altar.

6 The nude oil portrait you painted of your ex.

7. Your Hummel collection.

8. The Christmas photo with your entire family dressed in matching homemade outfits - taken last year.

30 Dates That Spice Up Your Relationship

9. Your Magic Wand Gee-Whiz attachment.

10. Hello Kitty anything (Hi, Mariah!).

11. Indigo Girls box set.

12. That still-in-the-original-packaging 1993 Winter Princess Barbie.

13. Economy-size bottle

Whether you have one minute or a month to prepare for a tropical getaway, here's a guide to grinning and baring it in no time. Get that sun-kissed look!

GOLDEN GODDESS

With self-tanners stepping up their technology, you'll never have to worry about looking like you've been mainlining carrots.

The Best Flat Belly Foods To Beat The Bloat

Two Days: New, clear self-tanning gels like L'Oréal's Sublime Bronze allow for fast absorption and tidy application that won't stain your clothes or beloved Frette sheets (the formula turns bronze on contact with your skin's melanin). Just exfoliate a day prior to ensure streak-free results, and allow 24 hours for the shade to develop.

4 Do-It Yourself Hair Remedies

One Day: A few drops of Guerlain's Terracotta Serum in your favorite moisturizer promises a golden, longer-lasting bronze. Its secret: a Tan Booster ingredient derived from the carob tree that safely boosts your skin's melanin (unlike pills such as prescription Psoralen, which make you